Teaching “Birds of a Feather” The View From Below
Article by ADRIENNE PAQUETTE Photos courtesy of CONSERVATION LEGACY
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How do birds stay dry in the rain? By preening their feathers, which spreads protective oil, as these students are learning.
22 T E X A S W I L D L I F E
MAY 2022
s I prepared to enter an elementary school first thing in the morning one spring, I stopped to listen to the cacophony of Blue Jays and Mockingbirds in the loblolly pines that shaded the parking lot. I looked up to see what all the fuss is about, wondering if I’m the one causing their stress. What I saw was a very harassed-looking Red-tailed Hawk being dive-bombed by the territorial songbirds. Half an hour later, I relayed this encounter to a group of fifth graders, who were in awe that something so wild could be happening just outside their classroom door. These are the moments I live for as a conservation educator— sharing the love of our native Texas wildlife with students in the Houston area. “Birds of a Feather” is one of five in-class TWA Wildlife by Design programs currently offered to teachers in Texas. Kids enjoy these hands-on explorations of our native Texas wildlife as we discuss what it means to be a good steward of Texas lands, water, and wildlife. “So why is a bird not a mammal?” “How do birds fly?” “Why don’t birds have teeth?” We answer these questions and explore what makes a bird a bird in our “Birds of a Feather” Wildlife by Design program. Birds are a unique group of animals that anyone anywhere can enjoy. They are found on every continent on Earth, so it’s no surprise that many of us feel fascinated by these feathered wonders. In every classroom I enter—regardless of whether it’s full of first-graders or adults—I hear stories of how amazingly fast a Peregrine Falcon can fly (more than 200 miles per hour in a dive!), how beautiful a Painted Bunting is, or even how watching hummingbirds hover at a feeder brings a smile to a child’s face. This incredibly diverse group of animals can bring the wonders of the wild into our own backyards. Kids are used to seeing wildlife on television and in nature documentaries. But nature is not just somewhere far away; it’s right here! During the “Birds of a Feather” lesson, we cover special adaptations birds have that help them thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth. The kids giggle when I tell them how, if a bird
